Ophthalmic mounting



Sept. 30 l 924.

E. L. SCHUMACHER ET AL 4 OPHTHALMI C MOUNT ING Filed March 6, 1922 a ,g H

' INVENTOR EL Mil? L. SCHUMACH/E'R WLLMNHBQ/TfLLE BY H 145% ATTORN EY Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

' UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.-

ELMEB L. SCHUMACHER, OF SO'O'THBRIDGE, AND WILLIAM H. BOUTELLE, OF STUR- BRIDGE. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, OF SOUTHBRDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A, VOLUNTARY ASSOCIATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING.

Application flied March 6, 1922. Serial No. 541,523.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ELMER L. SCHU- MACHER and WILLIAM H. BOUTELLE, citizens of the United States, residing at Southbridge and Sturbridge, respectlvely, in the .county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ophthalmic Mountings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in ophthalmic mountings, .and has particular reference to a novel and improved construction of metallic reinforcement and hinged joint for composition or non-metalli frames. One of the principal objects of .the present invention is the provision of an improved metallic member for use in a composition or non-metallic frame, which will provide a large and durablehinge joint or connection and at the same time a satisfactory brace for the non-metallic member itself.

A-further object of the present invention" is the provision of a structure of this character in which means are employed for holding the back portion of the zylonite or other composition from separation or spreading relative to the hinge joint.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved process or method of manufacture by which the results in question can be attained to a maximum degree.

Other objects and advantages of our improved construction should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will be understood that any modifications in the specific'details of construction shown and described may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

Figure I is a front view of a mounting embodying the improvements.

Figure II is aplan view thereof. Figure III is a sectional view as line IIIIII of Figure II.

Figure IV is a sectional view as on the line IV-IV of Figure III.

on the Figure V is a sectional view as. on the line V-V of Figure IV.

member 5 may have suitably secured thereto Figure VI is a detailed view of one of the metallic members.

Figure VII is a similar view of the other metallic member before uniting.

. Figure VIII is a fragmentary view of the composition frame member illustrating one step in the process of manufacture.

Figure IX is a further step.

Figure X is. a slight modification of the structure shown in Figure VIII.

Figure X1 is a detail prospective of the body member 5 with the barrel 8 attached.

In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a composition bridge having integral therewith the lens receiving portion or eyes 2 provided with the end piece projections 3, the whole forming what is termed in the art a front. These end piece portions 3 are rearwardly deflected as is clearly shown in Figure II, for example, and have suitably engaged thereto the temple members 4 for Eetaining the mounting in position on the ace.

The improvement here in question relates particularly to the method or means by which the hinged joint is maintained a .firm one. In the accomplishment of this result use is 'made of a metal prong'plate, which may be stamped from sheet material, for example, having a body 5 with slight prongs 6 at one side and elongated pliable rong like members 7 at the opposite side.- %his body as at 5 the bifurcated sleeve or barrel member 8 having the frustro-conical end por tions 9. Just prior to the final fastening of the barrel 8 to the body member or at any suitable time, the prongs 6 are deflected, or upset. to one side in the manner shown in Figure XI and in attaining the attachment of these two parts the metal of the body member 5 is suitably shaped in order that the attached parts will appear as in Figure XI. The two metallic members having been secured together they are in shape for introduction into the end piece 3. To facilitate its introduction, as well as the subsequent formation of the parts the end piece is milled or cut away on its rear or inner surface, as at 10, in a wide sweeping are or curve whose radius is greater than the radius of the barrel 8.

Preferably subsequent to this milling the end piece also has formed therethrough apertures or passages 11. The parts of the composition frame and the metallic parts having been suitably prepared, the prongs 7 are then forced inward through the passages 11, as by the use of a suitable die or ressing tool 12, while the frame itself is field on the support or block 13 having the bevelled, portion 14 fitting into the lens receiving groove 15 and having a slightedge groove as at 16. This groove projects beneath the inner mouth of the passage 11 so that as the terminally reduced points 17 of the prongs start to come out and project into the interior of the rim they will strike into these grooves and be defiected and bent backward, as is clearly illustrated in connection with Figure V. Due to this action the metallic member and the hinge barrel 8 carried by it are most securely retained in place.

It is to be noted by reference to Figure IX that when forced into place the barrel 8 lies not at the edge or terminus of the end pieces 3 but intermediately of the length of the milled or cut away portion 10. The pur-V pose of this will be understood by reference to Figure IV, in which the end piece is shown, formed intoits final condition.

Prior to the present invention similarly formed end pieces have been employed but difficulty has been experienced due to the fact that in bending or shaping the end piece there is a compression of the material inside the bend and a stretching of the outside material so that it is difiicult to get the parts into proper position and there maintain them even with metallic bend inserts unless cuts or the like relieving the strain by removing a portion of the material are formed.

In the case of the present invention, how-- ever, the ratio of the radius of the curve 10 1 with the metal barrel, as indicated. at 18 in Figure IV. At the same time the material at the back being stretched and relatively free to yield will be drawn down so that in the final form the barrel 8 in place of being intermediate the length of the milled or cut away portion will be substantially on line with the terminal edge or end of the end piece lug.

To best hold the parts together, particularly this terminal portion of the end piece lug and the metallic member and prevent pulling away the prongs 6 supplemented if desired by a prong 20 are employed. These prongs are slightly rearwardly deflected as the die 12 pushes the metallic member into the zylonite, as indicated in Figure 1X, so that they partially bite in to aid in looking the body 5 in place. As the end piece is bent up the creep of the outer portion of the material forwardly causes it to ride onto these prongs 6 and 20 to become more firmly engaged therewith so that it is impossible'to pull loose the barrel 8 at the outer edge of the end piece from the end piece material itself.

At any suitable time during the process of manufacture, but preferably after the parts have been thus united, the member 8 is centrally slotted to form the recess 21 to receive the metallic hinge portion 22 of the temple 4. The large central portion of the member 8 thus provides wide bearing surfaces to eliminate undue play of the temple and give opportunity for a larger temple joint which will be less liable to break when in use, while at the same time the tapering of the ends of the member renders the exposed portion thereof relatively inconspicuous when the mounting is being handled while, of course, the presence of the material of the end piece lug on the outer side conceals the metal when the mounting is being worn. If desired to still more "effectually conceal the metal at all times the end piece instead of being milled on the are 10 of Figure VIII may be milled on a somewhat corresponding are 23 as shown in Figure X, with a notched or cut away portion 24 so that as the material is bent the outer portion may be drawn downwardly and the inner portion which has a tendency to be compressed by the bending will naturally spring up around the member 4 and will cause it to be more satisfactorily and entirely covered and concealed.

It is to be understood that the member 5 and associated parts is preferably forced into the composition zylonite or other nonmetallic material while the same is heated so that it will readily yield to the entrance of the metallic parts and also to the clinching over of the ends of the barbs. It is further to be understood that the composition member is preferably either retained in this heated condition or subsequently reheated prior to the bending operation to a degree which will render the composition material plastic or mouldable so that as it is bent around to the final shape which it is intended to have it assume the material will have a flowing action so that as compressed at the inner angle of the bend it will flow up around the barrel member 8 and 9 to fit tightly thereagainst and therearound to partially conceal the same, while at the same time the outer portion being stretched or drawn will have a tendency to flow in the direction in which it is stretched so as to mountingconsisting in securing a pronged more firmly interengage with the prongs 6 and 20 so that the parts will best assume the relation shown in detail in Figure IV and when chilled will tend to remain in that position and to be held in that position on account We claim:

1. The process of producing an ophthalmic frame consisting in cutting away a portion of a composition endpiece, securing a metallic member to the end piece and within the cut away portion, and subsequently bending the combined parts whereby the material of the end piece is caused to shift relative to the metalhc member and partially enclose the same.

2. The process of forming an ophthalmic metallic member within a composition member With certain relatively free prongs, and bending the parts to stretch the composition over the free prongs to tightly interlock therewith.

3. The process of producing a combination ophthalmic mounting consisting in forming a composition end piece with a cut away portion, intermediately seating a metallic hinge member in said cut away portion and combining the parts under the influence of heat to cause the composition member to-flow around and partially embrace the metallic member.

4. The process of producing a combination ophthalmic mounting consisting in forming a composition end piece with a cut away po tion, intermediately seating a metallic hinge member in said cut away porof the contained metal arms 7.

tion, combining the parts under the influence of heat to cause the composition member to flow around and partially embrace the metallic member, and slotting a portion of the metallic member after its-engagement in the non-metallic member to provide a temple receiving recess.

5. The process of forming an ophthalmic mounting consisting in shaping a piece of sheet stock with a central body portion, and prongs projecting from both sides thereof, securing a tube to said body portion, inserting one set of prongs in a non-metallic end piece,and bending the combination ar ticle to draw the composition material into tight engagement with the other set of prongs.

6. An ophthalmic mounting, comprising a composition frame having an end piece,

a hinge member comprising a bifurcated barrel portion extending beyond the end piece, and a bifurcated prong plate, the plane of whose face is parallel to the axis of the barrel, extending into the end piece,

and an additional prong at an angle to the prong plate, and a second hinge member carrying a templepivotally mounted in the bifurcation of the barrel.

7. The process of inserting a metallic tongue of a hinge member into the end piece of a composition ophthalmic mounting, and thereafter bending both the metallic tongue and composition end piece to anchor the tongue against displacement along the line of its entrance.

ELMER L. SCHUMACHER. WILLIAM H. BOUTELLE. 

